Sec. 1. - Office created; appointment; term; qualifications; compensation.
There shall be a city attorney appointed by the council for an indefinite term, who shall be qualified to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The city attorney shall receive such compensation and have such qualifications as the council may provide by ordinance or resolution.
The city attorney shall be the chief legal advisor of the council and to the chief administrative officer. As designated by council, the city attorney also shall serve as the chief legal advisor to other departments, boards, commissions, and agencies of the city in all matters affecting the interests of the city. The city attorney also shall perform particular duties and functions as assigned by the council.
The city attorney shall have the power to appoint and remove legal assistants, or any other employees as shall be authorized by the council, and said employees shall be under the sole direction and authority of the city attorney. The city attorney also shall be authorized to engage any assistant or special counsel to perform any of the duties imposed upon the city attorney in this charter or under general law subject to budgetary appropriation by the council.
(Acts 1973, Ch. 85, § 1; Acts 1978, Ch. 39, § 1; Ord. No. 2010-25, 11-9-10; Acts 2011, Ch. 797)